


Dance and a Prayer, A

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s07e08 The Wedding, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-31
Updated: 2006-03-31
Packaged: 2019-05-15 11:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14789261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: During the reception, Jed deals with the reality of his daughters growing up.





	Dance and a Prayer, A

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**A Dance and a Prayer**

by: Caroline 

**Character(s):** Jed, Abbey, mentions of Ellie, Liz, Zoey, Annie, Gus, Lian, Leo, Josh, "Fruitfly Guy"  
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Post-ep for "The Wedding"  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Summary:** During the reception, Jed deals with the reality of his daughters growing up.  
**Spoiler:** "The Wedding"  


Three hours after my middle daughter's wedding and I'm just leaving the Oval to return to the party. I had just enough time after the ceremony to watch her first dance as a married woman and squeeze in my father-daughter dance before rushing off to yell at Lian yet again. 

The music's still going and I catch a glimpse of Ellie dancing with Zoey and Liz. I can't help smiling, remembering them dancing around our living room, giggling little girls in a world all their own. I look around, spotting Leo and Josh huddled in a corner. A chuckle escapes my lips; two more guys never able to get away from work. At that thought, my eyes sweep the room and, within a moment, they find Abbey. She's watching me from across the dance floor, a glass to her lips as she smiles, a silent thanks for returning. 

I make my way over to her, my eyes never leaving hers. I'm still trying to think up a way to make up for that mother-of-the-bride comment early. I just kind of dug myself into a hole there. Although I know she was just trying to give me a hard time, I still feel like I should do something, even if it's only to make up for abandoning her tonight to be a wall flower. 

She doesn't move as I finally reach her, merely looks up at me and takes a sip of her wine. 

"May I have this dance?" 

She just raises an eyebrow, "You really want to dance to this song?" 

I take a moment to listen to the thumping rhythm in the background of some rather odd lyrics, "Maybe I'll sit this one out." It sounds like something Zoey blares from her room just to piss me off. 

Abbey just laughs and shakes her head, "That's what I thought." 

"On the other hand…" 

She just looks at me in complete disbelief as I grab her hand and yank her to standing, "Jed…I am NOT dancing to this music." I know she's just imagining the embarrassment of seeing the President of the United States, not to mention her husband and the father-of-the-bride, gyrating to rap. Probably won't be able to spin that. 

I take pity on her, "Just walk with me." I see her let out a deep breath of relief. Her arm linked through mine, we walk along the edge of the dance floor. Annie is dancing with some boy her age I have yet to meet. Gus is spinning around in circles haphazardly, coming awfully close to knocking over the Spanish ambassador. The dance floor is too crowded now to see the girls, so we walk to the bar. A scotch and a new glass of wine and we're ready to be on the move again. I lead her out of the room and toward the portico outside the Oval for a moment of peace and quiet. Probably not that quiet, since we can still hear the music. 

She unlinks her arm from mine, takes a sip of her wine and sets it down on a bench. "I'm ready for that dance now." The music has taken a drastic change, soft tones seeping down the halls and out into the open air, sweeping her into my arms. I drink in her smell and savor the feeling of her smooth skin, the fabric of her dress against my tux, her breasts pushed against my chest. 

Her hands snake their way under my jacket finding their place on my back, holding us as close as physically possible. My arms wrap tightly around her, her body crushed against mine, her cheek on my shoulder. 

After the song ends, we break apart just a little, enough to look in her eyes. I can't hold her eyes for long; I'm struggling with the flood of emotions that come with the realization that my little Ellie is gone. 

I lower my eyes from hers. They come to rest on the swells of her breasts, peeking out at me, her skin alabaster against the dark strapless gown. I absently trace the neckline, just needing to touch her and to distract myself. I push her long tresses off her shoulders and brush my lips softly against hers, watching as her eyes close at the contact, "Our little girl got married." I should have known she would look at me like that, would sense the depression in my voice, saying it the same way as "we lost another one today." I feel a tear fight its way down my cheek; I was able to, miraculously, control the wateriness of my eyes earlier as I handed Vic my daughter's future. But, alone with Abbey, I don't have to hide them. She brushes it away with her soft hand and I see her own silent tears marring her beautiful cheeks. She nods, kisses me gently and pulls me tight against her. Another dance before we rejoin the party. Her hair tickles my cheek as my mind wanders. 

I still remember our first dance all those years ago. I remember what she wore, what she smelled like, what she felt like. I knew then that she was the only woman I ever wanted in my arms. Forty years later and she's still there and she's still the only one I want. I cherish that dance. I will for as long as I can remember it. But, I think, it's better now than it was even then because now I'm not worried about whether she feels the same way or not. I think of our girls. Of Liz and Doug. Of Ellie and Vic. I thank God for the woman in my arms and pray my baby girls will have the same love in their lives. 


End file.
